Saturday, November 28, 2015
Feeling... **SHIVERS**
Review:
At first Daniel dismisses the tales of the witch and her man-eating razorback hog, Bloody Bones, as superstitious nonsense, but gradually he is forced to believe that Erica is in real danger. When Erica vanishes, he knows she's been "took," and he must summon all his courage to confront Old Auntie and take his sister back.This book gave me the shivers. Take kids that hear and see things that the adults don't notice or don't believe. Add a local legend that we, as readers, know is true, but adults, of course don't believe. Multiply by a doll that only talks to the young girl, a witch that preys on young girls every 50 years... Don't forget the freaky man-eating razorback hog, and the result is a perfectly creepy story that does not disappoint.
-- from the book jacket
I think kids being kidnapped by witches is an especially scary plot line. Being in the dark woods all alone helps, of course. I loved every minute of reading this book and plan on finding more to read by this author. I found it in our elementary school library, but I think it is important to make sure the individual student can handle the scariness of this story.
Recommended to:
Students in grades 5-8 who aren't scared of creepy witches, man-eating razorback hogs, and dark forests.
Annie Sullivan's Story
Review:
Annie Sullivan was little more than a half-blind orphan with a fiery tongue when she arrived at Ivy Green in 1887. Desperate for work, she'd taken on a seemingly impossible job--teaching a child who was deaf, blind, and as ferocious as any wild animal. But Helen Keller needed more than a teacher. She needed someone daring enough to work a miracle. And if anyone was a match for Helen, it was the girl they used to call Miss Spitfire.I really enjoyed reading this book. Of course I've seen the Miracle Worker movie and I knew the basic story about Helen Keller. But I haven't read many books on the subject. This book is told entirely from Annie Sullivan's perspective.
-- from the book jacket
While I was reading, I could feel how lost and scared Annie was and how much she wanted to help Helen. Annie was so young to be put in that position. And she had such a sad childhood. But she was a strong woman and she managed to find her way. Imagine how hard it must have been for Annie to stand up to Helen's parents, especially her father.
Helen was completely out of control. It wasn't really her fault, her parents felt sorry for her and tried to compensate for her disabilities by giving her everything they could and not disciplining her at all. They fought Annie every step of the way, but finally agreed to let Annie take control. That was the best choice they could have made for their daughter.
The main obstacle for Annie, besides Helen's behavior, was the fact that Helen didn't realize that things had names. She could learn the signs easy enough, but teaching her that the signs actually stood for something was the hard part.
I love the way this book gave me insight into Annie and Helen's struggle. The book was very entertaining and made me feel like I was a part of the whole experience. I found this book in my elementary school library collection. It is more appropriate for the middle/high school collection (because of the reading level) and we will transfer it there next week. Another bonus of the Genre of the Month program, I get to explore each genre individually for an entire month. :)
Recommended to:
Anyone who enjoys historical fiction or is interested in the story of Helen Keller.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Entertaining story that also teaches...
Review:
What a fun story. There is adventure and excitement as the kids meet Martin Luther King, Jr. and try to convince him not to give up on his dream. Along the way, facts are slipped in casually. I learned things I didn't know about the marches and Dr. King, but I didn't feel like I was reading a history textbook.
It’s another exciting Monday for Abigail, Zack, Jacob, and Bo—they are going to jump back to the past to meet Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.! The kids need to convince Dr. King not to get discouraged and to lead one of his famous voting rights marches. And they’ve got to do it with the twins’ baby brother, Gabe, in tow!
-from the book blurb
This is a great book for kids who think they don't like historical fiction. It reminded me a bit of the Magic Tree House series. The mix of facts and adventure is very well done. This is book 4 in the series (other historical figures include Washington, Lincoln, Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross...)
Recommended to:
Students in grades 3-5 who like adventure, especially if they have an interest in a historical figure.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
November Reading
Last month, I asked our librarian if we could implement a Genre of the Month program. She was excited by the idea and asked me to make a small poster and create the display. I don't have a picture of the display, but here is the poster.
This month, we are exploring the Historical Fiction genre. This is one of the hardest genres to get students to read. Many of our kids love the "I Survived" books, but they don't try other historical fiction books.
Historical Fiction is one of the genres I read the least. If I am going to promote these books to our students, I need to read some myself. I went through the section and picked out a few books.
This month, I plan to read the following Historical Fiction books:
On my want to read this month list:
I also will continue with the Silmarillion Blues group read of The Hobbit.
Wish me luck! :)
Deliciously Dark & Disturbing
Review:
That's what mortal terror felt like, he realized. Tiny fingers tickling you from the inside.Wow. This book is creepy and I couldn't put it down. There were times when I was cringing and trying to read a little faster just to get through a part - like when the sea turtle was attacked and during the vivd descriptions of the effects of the contagion.
-Chapter 13
The dividing line between genius and insanity is very thin and quite permeable--which is why so many geniuses descend into madness.
-Chapter 33
It came down to that flexibility of a person's mind. An ability to withstand horrors and snap back, like a fresh elastic band. A flinty mind shattered.
-Chapter 36
This is very old school horror - gritty and bloody and gross. And it doesn't let up for all 358 pages. If you are squeamish, then this book is not for you. The sickness tears people apart and Cutter describes every detail vividly. He doesn't hold back, not one bit.
However, this book isn't all about gore. There is a psychological component to the story. The group dynamics are fascinating. Each boy has his own back story that gives the reader insight into his actions on the island. Many times, it had me thinking of Lord of the Flies. But you add in this contagion and the stakes are raised immeasurably.
I kept trying to figure out who, if anyone would survive the island. But, it wasn't easy. Cutter kept that secret well hidden until the very end.
So, if you are a fan of creepy, gory horror that doesn't let up, then you need to read this book.
I will leave you with this quote that really resonated with me:
They'd made a pact to be friends forever, but forever could be so, so brief.
Team Omega is back
Review:
I loved the entire Dead City series. James Ponti did a fantastic job creating a believable world filled with relatable characters to love and villains to hate. The characters have flaws and self-doubt but manage to overcome them. I love the unusual explanation for the existence of zombies.
Molly Bigelow and her Omega team have been banned from investigating Marek Blackwell and his plans for New York City. But when they discover that Blackwell is raising money for an undead army, they have to act. But will they be in time?
--from the publisher
There are some twists in this book that surprised me a bit and that was fun. I did feel like the ending was too sudden. I expected more action and suspense. The overall story seems to wrap up nicely though and I think this might be the last book in the series.
This book is great for kids with an interest in zombies. It is fun and not too scary, but it is suspenseful. In our school, it is popular among the 4th and 5th graders. It appeals to both boys and girls.
Recommended to:
Boys and girls in grades 4-8, especially those who like their zombie stories a little less scary and not so gross. Scary rating: 2/5, Gore rating 3/5.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Don't judge a book by its cover...
Review:
This should be a lesson to me, not to judge a book by its cover. Also, not reading the synopsis of the book doesn't always turn out for the best. I enjoy not reading the synopsis usually. I like when books surprise me with their plots or twists.
But, I was looking for a horror book, or at least something scary and this did not fit the bill. The cover looks sort of bloody and scary, but the story is really a thriller I guess. I actually found the book a bit slow at times.
The main character, Haley, is being abused by her alcoholic father, and her younger sister doesn't really see how bad it is. Their mother died in a car accident while trying to get them all away from the abusive relationship. Haley starts to fall for a boy named Chris Charming. I'm guessing this supposed to be a twist on Cinderella, but I didn't really see it (besides the name and Charming being rich).
Anyway, there is something sinister going on and eventually the truth is revealed. But, by that point, I really didn't much care. It is possible that I would have liked the book more if I went in without my preconceptions, but unlikely. The plot was just too slow moving and a bit confusing. Also, the villain was a bit unbelievable; I don't see how he could have managed all the things he did without being noticed.
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